


Five things which never happened to Elizabeth Lochley

by natoth



Category: Babylon 5
Genre: 5 things which never happened, AU, Angst, Drama, Gen, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, Prompt Fic, Translation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-11 01:24:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11703894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natoth/pseuds/natoth
Summary: Five stories from the life of Elizabeth Lochley, which may never have happened.





	1. The Bargain

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Пять вещей, которые никогда не приключались с Локли](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3542651) by [natoth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/natoth/pseuds/natoth). 



> These stories have been written for "Five things which never happened on В5" competition. The main heroes got out by method of a lottery, and I've got Lochley. I should admit, this woman would be last person from all В5 heroes whom I would like to write about. But, to my surprise, after a while I have written all five fics. And, you know, it has helped me to understand her better.  
> I should express the huge gratitude to my friend Q-N for she has translated it to English and was my patient and indulgent beta-reader. This translation probably needs editing, but I'll risk putting it here.  
> And...well...  
> Babylon 5 and its characters are the property of J. Michael Straczynski and Warner Brothers Television. No copyright infringement is intended.

**2261-2262**

  
  
Elizabeth Lochley had just left the shower intending to treat herself to her favorite hamburgers, when her _Stellacom_ beeped. First she didn't want to pay attention to its urgent trills.  
_"What the hell?! Can't they leave me alone for just a day?"_   she thought, disappointed. She cast a look at the delicious hot hamburgers and at the "Universe Today" issue, which she'd been trying to read for a week… She wanted to switch off  _Stellarcom_ , to switch off all communication facilities that connected her to the world, and just sit for a while in perfect silence and peace, enjoying cheap fast-food, which she was forbidden to eat by her strict parents when a child. To read something, not connected with her duties.   
The _Stellacom_ refused to quiet down.   
Lochley tossed her wet hair, still musing whether she should answer or not.   
The hamburgers began to get cold.  
And there was quite an interesting article in the paper… something about the events on Babylon 5 again.   
Lochley, like all other officers of EarthForce tried to keep an eye on the news from B5. This station became the centre of a whirlpool, which threatened to engulf major part of the known galaxy.  
And somehow she wasn't surprised by the fact.  
As soon as she learned _who_ was in command of the station, everything fell into place…  
Her meditation was interrupted by a _Stellacom_ call.  
Lochley sighed heavily. She had no right to switch off the damned thing, and she knew it.  
_Noblesse oblige_  as ancient Romans used to say.  
“Lochley here,”  she said turning her back to her supper and paper.  
The _Stellacom_ ’s screen blinked and she stared in amazement at the face that appeared before her.   
Lochley didn't expect to see this man. Absolutely.   
“John?” she asked, hardly able to believe her eyes.  
The man on the screen smiled, though the smile was a bit embarrassed.  
“ _Captain_  Elizabeth Lochley, isn't it?”  he asked. Though the words sounded like a formality, there was irony in his voice.  
Lochley braced herself up immediately, scolding herself inwardly for absent-mindedness.   
“ _Captain_  John Sheridan,” she said straightening out ceremoniously.  “To what do I owe such honour?”   
Sheridan smiled again. This time it was quite a different smile. A sincere and cheerful one.   
But it faded rather quickly.   
“Actually, I'm not a Captain any more”,  he said in a flat voice.   
“Really? Excuse me, I haven't been following the news lately”,  Lochley answered coldly. She felt she was reverting to her former sarcastic tone, though she'd cast this man aside long ago…  _Won't this wound ever heal?! And why did he call?!_   “Have you been promoted? My congratulations”.  
Sheridan hemmed.   
“No, I can hardly call it a promotion”,  he said slowly. Then he raised his eyes to her:  “I've resigned. After all the things that happened… it was logical.”  
“I see…”  Lochley resisted an impulse to say another foul thing with difficulty. As a matter of fact she was glad to hear this news. The idea, that people like John could be promoted after what they did, was disgusting. Sheridan had always been self-willed. And at the same time he was an idealist.  _The self-willed idealist_. Terrible combination.   
“It is twice as logical, considering my new assignment”.  John continued after a pause. “Now I am the President of the Interstellar Alliance. Quite an important position, I should say.”  
“Err…” that was all Lochley could force herself to say. It seemed he managed to win their old dispute, their old competition, which was the main reason their short-lived marriage broke apart. They'd always been quarrelling with each other not wishing to concede. Not a whit. They maddened each other but never yielded. This marriage was doomed. And she wanted to forget those brief months like a nightmare.  _Oh, why did he call right now?!_   “Congratulations.”  
Sheridan cleared his throat, averting his eyes from time to time.  
The silence started getting on Lochley's nerves.   
“I hope you didn't call me just to tell about your new appointment,  _Mr. President_?”she couldn’t stand it any longer. “I have heaps of things to do and all of them are pressing, so...”   
Sheridan straightened and sighed heavily.  
“You are right, Captain... That wasn't the only reason I called you...”  he coughed and then continued in quite a different tone. “Beth, I decided to turn to you with a very important matter. I spent a lot of time trying to solve this question and gradually came to the conclusion that you are the best candidate.”  
Lochley startled when he called her by name.   
“The matter is”,  Sheridan continued, trying not to hurry,  “that because of my resignation the post of the station's Commanding Officer is vacant. That's one of the conditions... well, I won't explain this here... anyway, it's inevitable. Babylon 5 needs a new captain, someone who can carry this heavy burden. The commanding officer should also be a diplomat to settle all kinds of conflict situations with alien ambassadors...”  
  
“You should admit, it's not easy to find such a combination... This person shouldn't be from B5 crew”.  He guessed the question she was just about to ask.  “I'm sure you understand that the Earth government will never entrust such an important object to a rebel, even a former one...”  
He grinned bitterly.  
“I made some inquires, went through personal files of many EarthForce officers. I understood gradually that no one could cope with it better, than you.”  
Lochley opened her mouth, ready to object, but Sheridan didn't let her say a word.  
“Yes, I know you were on Clarke's side, but that is not a reason to deny you this appointment. You've spent a lot of time communicating with alien races, you know their customs and spirit. You are cool-headed and reasonable and... above all...”  
She listened to him attentively.  
“Above all, I  _know_  you”,  Sheridan said.  “You should understand me: this damned civil war confused everything, you can't tell a guilty guy from an innocent one. That's why I decided to proceed by intuition this time: if it should be an enemy, let it be a familiar enemy.”  
“Right, thanks!” Lochley snorted.  
Sheridan raised his hand again.  
“I know you. Or I think I know you. Anyway, I know you better than other officers from the list. Because of that in particular you beat them all. So what do you think regarding my proposal? I haven't made any announcements yet; I decided to ask for your opinion first.”  
“Thanks for that, if nothing else!” Lochley answered sarcastically. “You want to know my opinion, John? I'll be as frank as you are: I refuse your proposition”.   
He frowned perplexedly.  
“But why?”  he asked.  
“The Interstellar Alliance headquarters is located on Babylon 5, isn't it?” Lochley squinted.  
John nodded.  
“ So, its president will live on the station, as well?”  she continued.  
“ Yes.”  Sheridan answered, and sighed.  
“ That is why”.  she said rigidly.  “John, you and I are very different people; the further we are from one another the better. We came to an agreement then, didn’t we… and I believe we shouldn’t break this agreement.”  
“ But that’s quite a different case…”  he tried to explain, but Lochley shook her head stubbornly.  
“Believe me, I have no desire to stir up the past”,  John spoke insistently, ruffling his slightly greyish hair. “We won’t advertise our former relationship. And what is more, I’d like to keep it secret.”   
“No!” she shook her head. “You know there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed sooner or later… But that is not the reason of my refusal. The reason is  _you_ , John. I can tell you why you are eager to foist this post on me. You want to sit on two chairs at once. You wish to be in command of the station, which you’ve taken a great fancy to, and lead the Interstellar Alliance. That’s why you need a person, who will follow your directions like a puppet. One who will dance to your tune. Yes, indeed, we were acquainted some time ago. But to all appearances, you never got to know me well enough, John. Otherwise you wouldn’t dare to make me such a humiliating proposition. I have never been and shall never be your puppet, John! That’s why we had to part, do you remember? You came to the wrong shop. Find someone more compliant…”   
To her surprise, he burst out laughing.  
“Still, I  _did_  get to know you well, Beth. You are the real goods! Indeed, and I won’t hide it: Babylon 5 has become dear to my heart, and I want it to be well handled. But you are wrong on another point: I don’t need puppets. I need a person, who can rebuff me when necessary. That’s when I remembered our hot disputes… You have never given in, nor backed down. Therefore you are the right person! And I ask you to take this post, Beth.”  
She opened her mouth to answer “no” once again, but then froze. What in fact did she forget at her current job? Those who fought on Clark’s side were having a hard time. She’d hardly be promoted within the next few years… As for the station… the station could become the way out of the deadlock. The job is arduous, no doubt. But she’d never looked for easy ways.  
“ I’ll agree on one condition, John”, she said deliberately.   
Sheridan beamed, but managed to suppress a smile.  
“So what’s the condition?”   
“When I become the commander of Babylon 5”,  Lochley said calmly,  “ I’ll be the one to make all decisions concerning the station, and no one else. You will not interfere in my work, and I’ll try not to meddle in yours. I will say “yes” only on this condition. So, do you accept it?”  
Sheridan sighed heavily.  
“Do I have any choice?” there was bitterness in his voice.  
Lochley’s eyes twinkled.  
“Then I agree,” she said briefly.


	2. Dusted Lochley

**2262**  

  
  
  
Lochley draw a deep breath, unable to avert her eyes from a small package with white powder.  
_“I shouldn’t yield to the temptation, I shouldn’t lose control so easily,_ ” she repeated this in her mind, but felt she was losing the battle.   
All the latest events pushed her to this step, slowly but surely. Continuous friction with Mr. Garibaldi, who apparently decided to turn her life on the station into absolute hell; this idiotic stubbornness of Sheridan, who shifted all the troubles with telepaths on her… why the hell did she agree to his proposal?! She knew nothing worthwhile would come of it, didn’t she?  
There’s been only one thing that saved her up to now: walking in Down Below. It was G’Kar who tossed her the idea; he seemed to be the only person on the station, whom she could talk to easily.   
Down Below was an exotic and rather dangerous place. When Lochley got there for the first time, she just couldn’t believe her eyes. She found herself in quite a different world, which didn’t care for you unless you started to reshape it to your taste.   
Lochley liked to wander there watching the local dwellers, buying local food, sometimes rather exotic. Probably it was the only place where she could be herself for some time. Lochley put on her ordinary clothes: worn jeans and a shapeless-looking shirt. No one could recognize the Captain that way.   
Of course, conflict situations appeared from time to time: once or twice local criminals tried to attack her. They were merely testing and probing the stranger. She fought back recollecting her past street life, and her Academy years were not lost on her as well. Nobody bothered her from then on.   
Usually she simply walked there, bought her favorite hot-dog (what in fact it was made of was not her concern), from time to time she dropped in some snack-bar. But this time… this time the past reminded her of itself again.  
Lochley looked at the package with powder once more.  _Why did she buy it from that guy? She gave herself a word, didn’t she?.._  She tried to keep such promises. Although the situation on the station was awful, she didn’t even look at strong drinks or… or…  
Lochley touched the package. That was not a common drug. She ought to contact Zack and give orders to search through the Down Below to find that guy.   
But Lochley had no desire to do it at that very moment. Moreover, she didn’t want to see anyone at all.   
_Dust._  The guy said that was Dust in the package: the most destructive of all drugs, the most unusual and the most… dangerous of them. Drug dealers didn’t like to get involved with it, because apart from troubles with the police they automatically attracted attention of the Psi Corps. No one wanted to wake a sleeping dragon…   
Lochley heard a lot of interesting stories about the effects of this powder. As if Dust turned anyone into a telepath, though for a short time.   
_Telepaths._  She felt headache again. Why did she let Sheridan admit them to the station? Their leader, Byron, arose more and more suspicion in her.  
She took the package.   
_I wonder, what is it like – reading somebody else’s thoughts?_  Lochley winced. Even without being a telepath she could constantly feel hostility from many Babylon 5 crew members. She was still an alien here, although several months had passed.   
Her subordinates treated her coldly and politely. They kept seniority.  
  
Only Garibaldi didn't keep his feelings to himself. To be honest, she got dead tired of him.   
She sighed, opened the package and poured several grains to her palm.  
_"I should contact Zack"_ , she thought looking at the tiny white crystals.   
Then she imagined the inevitable wasting of time on the investigation. Zack would ask in that naive manner of his: where did she take that? What should she answer? A parcel from home? She didn't feel like revealing her secrets to these people at the moment.  
No, she wouldn't contact the security chief. Again, he was still loyal to Garibaldi.  
Her hands habitually reached out for the package.  
_"I'll only try... when will such an occasion serve again?”_

 

* * *

  
...The world acquired an interesting look. Lochley smiled, feeling the familiar fit of energy.   
_"That's all, you shouldn't have been afraid,"_  she smiled to herself in her mind.  _"That's only a quarter of a dose... Nothing special happened... On the other hand... the soul lightened up at once!”_  The world around her suddenly filled with barely audible voices, as if a radio was working somewhere nearby. The voices were indistinct and very unobtrusive. Something like a Chinese torture with water -- you can't get rid of this continuous dripping on your brain... and you get slowly mad...  
Lochley shook her head and stood up. The co-ordination was slightly affected, but she quickly adapted herself to the new sensations.  
The voices kept whispering something in her head, something obscure.  
Lochley smiled again and left her quarters.  
_“Self-control is above all”,_ she kept reminding herself.  
Soon she started meeting people. Then the voices became louder, she could even make out separate words from time to time. Lochley risked listening to them more carefully, but felt no particular effect. It seemed, the dose was really very small.  
She reached C &C. Everything was in its right place as usual. It was not her watch at the moment, and Corwin was in charge.   
He fixed his eyes on her, when she entered.  
“What's happened, Captain?” he asked straightening at attention.  
Lochley tensed.  _Hmm… what does this fellow think of her? Come on._..  
The background noise became louder, and then she heard Corwin's voice, just separate words that sounded in her head:  
_Everything seems fine... the ships come by schedule... why the hell has she come?.. She doesn't trust me... made this pony-tail again, like Ivanova used to... why is she always trying to look like Ivanova?!_  
Lochley recoiled abruptly, then smiled:  
“It's all right, lieutenant. I was just passing by. Go on with your work.”  
Corwin nodded. Lochley left C &C.  
She knew that the whole crew was constantly comparing her to the former first officer. If she'd foreseen this, she would never have accepted Sheridan's offer.  
Lochley wandered about the station occasionally catching the thoughts of the passers-by.   
It even proved to be funny.  
“Captain!” she heard someone's voice behind her. First she didn't react taking it for the background.  
Turning around she saw ambassador G'Kar.  
“We had a meeting appointed, remember?”  said the ambassador coming nearer. “But you didn't show up, so I set off searching for you... if it's not convenient now... We could postpone it... though...”  
He broke off noticing an odd expression on the Captain's face.  
“Are you feeling unwell, Captain?” he asked agitatedly.  
“ No... I'm fine...” Lochley did her best to step aside from him. She had no wish to read the Narn's thoughts, but they simply rushed into her mind. And what she saw was  _terrible_... She wanted to cry out.   
“I suppose... You are right... We'd better postpone the meeting...”  
_She wouldn't bear it any longer... she'd cry out with all her might right now._    
“Excuse me, ambassador...” she forced these words clasping her head, then left hurriedly.  
G'Kar looked after her perplexedly and shrugged his shoulders.  
  
Sweating with horror Lochley pressed her back to the wall.  
_"That should be enough for today”_ ,  she thought, “ _I'd better stay in my quarters until it's over..."_  Her link beeped. The sound caused a new fit of headache.  
“Captain Lochley, we've got a little problem here”, that was Zack's slightly hoarse voice. “Could you come to the Customs?”  
Lochley felt she was growing mad.  
“ I...” she squeezed, realizing that she wouldn't manage to stand all those voices any more...  
“Another group of telepaths has arrived. They demand Byron. What should I do with them? No documents, as usual.”  Zack continued. “Captain, if you want to know my opinion...”   
Lochley pressed a button breaking the connection. Then she switched off the link and shoved it into her pocket.  
She closed her eyes tight. Then shook her head and made an attempt to pull herself together.   
Lochley approached her quarters and took out her ID ready to insert it into the lock.  
“Captain Lochley, I've found you at last!” she heard a familiar voice behind her.   
She turned round and met eyes with Lyta.   
“ Byron and me wanted to talk to you about the newly arrived telepaths”,  Lyta said. “Mr. Allen stopped them at the Customs, but we...”  
_Lochley looked into her eyes._  
Lyta started and squinted.  
Lochley tensed, almost automatically.  
Bright light spread before her eyes all of a sudden. Then she heard a quiet singing and saw an obscure figure in a shining halo...  
And then everything faded out.  
Lochley had a sensation of falling... falling from an enormous height... 

 

* * *

  
  
She cried and sat up in her bed abruptly. She broke into cold sweat.  
Lochley sat for some time, trying to make sense of the happenings.  
_"It's just a dream... a nightmare ..._ " she muttered to herself, wiping her wet face.  
She dreamed rather seldom. Usually she just fell dead asleep.  
But this time everything was different. She could remember the dream with the smallest detail... only the last event was covered with haze.  
She had an awful headache.  
Lochley looked at her watch. It was morning already, so it was no sense going to sleep again. She wouldn't be able to, anyway.  
Unable to overcome those obtrusive thoughts, Lochley searched her quarters thoroughly, trying to find the package with Dust. But it wasn't seen anywhere.  
_“A dream!_ “ she whispered with relief. “ _What a fool I am!”_  
Then she tried to reach for her link... and was surprised not to find it on its usual place.  
She turned the whole room upside down, but in the end found the link in the pocket of her uniform.  
Lochley broke into cold sweat again.  
_A dream?!_  She switched on the link. It began to squeak at once.  
“Lochley listening...” she said, squeezing it in her hand.  
“Captain Lochley, we've got a little problem here”, that was Zack's slightly hoarse voice. “Could you come to the Customs?..”


	3. The Day of the Dead

**2262**  

  
Lochley sat in her quarters, switching TV channels. But all of them aired that stupid comic duo,  Rebo and Zooty. She grew more and more angry. Why was everybody so fond of these two grimacing deadnecks?!  
Sheridan even dared to call this day  _"a really great day for B5"_  as Rebo and Zooty honoured the station with their visit. She snorted sarcastically. Noway!.. If this day proves great, then not because of this at all.  
She frowned remembering a recent strange bargain with the Brakiri ambassador. She could never imagine that one day she'd have to sell part of the station. She wondered what else those aliens had in reserve. What other traditions would they bring to the station? If she continued obliging everyone, she'd blow out her brains!  
And this odd hysterics of G'Kar's. The Narn, who'd been tolerant to the strangest customs of other alien races recently, now suddenly turned into a confirmed xenophobe.  
Rebo and Zooty made another idiotic trick. What kind of comics are they? They are just banal circus actors!  
Lochley changed the channel once more, all in vain. They were everywhere: Rebo and Zooty with their flat jokes.  
She sighed heavily and took some papers she needed to read.  
_"I'm calm. I shouldn't pay attention to it."_  She repeated to herself.  
Suddenly Rebo and Zooty's babble alternated with stupid giggling ceased.  
Then the lights went off.  
“Damn!” hissed Lochley and brought the link to her lips intending to contact technicians.  
The room filled with a strange reddish shine.  
“What the hell is that?” Lochley muttered looking about. “Maintenance?”   
The link kept silent. No connection.  
“Damn, damn, DAMN!” Lochley pressed a button on the link once more, and then came up to the Babcom in hope to find it working.  
But the internal communications device showed no signs of life either.  
Having taken some troubles over it, Lochley kicked it in the end. Then she sat down in an armchair thinking what to do next.  
That's when she heard some noise behind her. She turned back.  
_“Zoe?!”_  she breathed out, unable to believe her eyes.  


* * *

  
  
They sat talking. Lochley could barely fight back her tears while listening to her long dead friend. How often did she dream of such a chance, how many times did she talk to Zoe in her mind, lying sleepless in bed at night... Now, today her past, her awful past came to her again...  
“Geez, Lizzie, what'd you grow up to be?”  Zoe laughed, trying to stir her up. “We had such fun, didn't we? Didn't we have such fun?”   
_Lizzie_... Zoe used to call her just so. After her death, having enlisted in Earthforce Officer Training School, Lochley didn't allow anyone to herself like this. She asked her friends to use her full name, Elizabeth. Sheridan called her " _Beth_ ". But he had his own reasons: that was his sister's name as well. He said he'd call her  _"Beth"_  to avoid confusion. Lochley was only glad of such a coincidence...   
“No. We were cold, sick, and we were hungry all the time. We did things to survive I've done my best to forget. We lived in that burned-out hotel. I was scared all the time my father would find me. No. It was bad.”  
She told the truth. Recalling those days, she felt only abhorrence.  
  
They talked for a while, and then Lochley remembered about her duties.   
“Excuse me, Zoe, I have something to do. Sit here for a while, listen to the music, I’ll be fast…”  
And she attempted to contact Garibaldi. Something was very wrong on the station; she had to find out what exactly, and quickly.  
She battled with Babcom for some time, but then managed to get through to Garibaldi.  
Having made the necessary instructions, Lochley turned to Zoe and… received a great shock again.  
There stood an unknown man beside her. Zoe was examining him, amazed.  
“Lizzie, is this your new boyfriend?” she asked having slightly recovered from amazement.   
The man was wearing Ranger’s attire and had a denn’bok in his hand.  
“Where’s Susan?”he asked. She could clearly hear British accent in his voice.  
Lochley was on the verge of bursting out laughing hysterically. But she managed to brace herself.  
“Or have I mixed up the quarters?” stranger with the denn’bok asked. “Susan Ivanova lives here, doesn’t she?”  
Lochley passed her hand over her forehead.   
_“I’m dreaming. This is another nightmare.”_  she thought.  
“It seems to me… I know you”,  she said,  “You are Marcus Cole, aren’t you? I’ve heard quite a lot about you, but I’ve never imagined we’d have a chance to meet…”   
“It’s nice to hear that I’ve become so popular, but… I don’t understand anything…” Marcus looked over Lochley’s quarters.  
“It’s my quarters now”,  Lochley answered. “Let me introduce myself: Captain Elizabeth Lochley, the current commander of Babylon 5.”  
Marcus folded the denn’bok and slipped it into a pocket.  
“Now I’m absolutely confused. So where are Susan and Sheridan?”  
“Would you like some tea, Marcus Cole?” Zoe said, bringing a tray with mugs from the kitchen. “It’s quite a long story, and you must be tired after the journey…”  
Marcus nodded absently.  
Lochley told him about the recent events on the station in a few words.  
Marcus burst out laughing.  
“Then, it means I’m dead?” he asked, when Lochley finished her explanation.  
“Well, not exactly”, Lochley shook her head. “Dr. Franklin put you in cryonic chamber in hope you’d be cured in the future…”  
“Hmm…” Marcus frowned a little, reflecting on her words. “So, if today is the Day of the Dead, as you say, then… only the dead should come. You are dead, Zoe, aren’t you?”  
“Yes, and it was very unpleasant,” Zoe answered, growing serious for an instant.  
Marcus was at a loss.  
“So I can hardly be resurrected”,  he said with a sad smile. “Franklin wasted his efforts, all for nothing…”  
“Geee…” whispered Zoe, staring at Marcus. “I’ll be damned… and I didn’t even take dope today…”  
Marcus laughed again.  
“Then, Susan is alive?” he asked, when he coped with the fit of merriment. “And I’ve just mixed up quarters?”  
“Looks like that”,  Lochley nodded. “I’m afraid you’ll have to spend this night in my and Zoe’s company. Something incomprehensible is going on here. And it’s unlikely that you’ll manage to leave this room till morning.”  
Marcus suddenly jumped up and hugged both of them.  
“I’ll be just happy to!.. I did find out what I wanted! Susan is alive, and I gave my life not for nothing! The rest is unimportant… unimportant!”  
At that moment Babcom chimed, and Lochley rushed to find out, how Mr. Garibaldi was getting on.  
When she returned, Marcus and Zoe were talking lively, sipping the tea.  
“We are discussing how to improve the current situation”,  said Marcus. “One of the rangers’ rules and my own credo in life is:  _“There are no hopeless situations_ ”. It’s a pity your friend has died,  she’d prove to be a perfect Anla’shok. She gave me an excellent idea and I’m going to make it a reality. I’ll write Susan a letter since we didn’t have a chance to meet. Captain, I hope you'll be so kind to deliver this letter to the right person, if you have an opportunity? “  
Lochley closed her eyes for a moment. She felt dizziness because of all this.  
“Of course, Mr. Cole. I’ll pass your letter. On occasion. As soon as possible. Certainly!”  
Zoe shrieked merrily and rummaged on the table.  
“Do you have some paper, Lizzie? And a pen? We’ve decided not to entrust this message to electronics…”   
Lochley noticed Zoe pulling some important document to herself and cried nervously.   
“Not this one!!! The paper is in another place… Here… take this…”  
The link beeped again, and Lochley jumped up.  
“Captain Lochley? Your communication channel is open. It took 17 minutes. Good night.”  
Lochley didn’t even have time to put a word, as Garibaldi broke the connection.  
She sighed and dragged herself along to do her work.  
Marcus took a pen and scratched his beard, bending over a sheet of paper.  
Zoe was watching him closely…   


* * *

  
  
Lochley walked along the station’s corridors, musing about the strange message, she’d just passed to Sheridan. It seemed like the destiny decided to made her its postman.  
She entered her quarters. Without Zoe it looked so... sad. Yes... her friend could create a lively atmosphere.  
Lochley thoughtfully fixed her gaze on the envelope lying on the shelf.  
_“Indeed, it was the greatest day in the history of the station...”_ she muttered.


	4. The Power of the Past

**2262**

  
  
Lochley looked through the papers on her desk for a hundred's time, but still couldn't concentrate. She kept scrolling in memory the last scene in Sheridan's office.  
He appointed a regular meeting devoted to the problem with Centaury Prime. Mr. Garibaldi was invited as well. They waited for him for half an hour, but he never came. He didn't contact anybody either. Zack was embarrassed and volunteered to find him. Sheridan nodded silently, dismissing him. His face darkened.   
Lochley watched him closely, because these comings late of Garibaldi had become a norm. She waited for Mr. President to make up his mind and dot the i's in this matter. But Sheridan cleared his throat as usual and said hoarsely:  
"Well... let's discuss other questions for the time present... and Mr. Garibaldi will join us later..."  
For some reason this made Lochley furious. It took all her will just to keep silent. For she knew, that all her statements would be attributed to her personal disagreements with Garibaldi.   
Somewhere about the middle of the meeting Zack came back. Together with Mr. Garibaldi. The Chief of the Interstellar Alliance intelligence looked bad, to put it mildly.  
Sheridan asked him what was up. Garibaldi mumbled some indistinct excuse. Sheridan said nothing, and then went on with the discussion as if nothing had happened.  
Lochley started trembling with rage at that moment.  _Doesn't he see it?! How can he be so blind?!_  She suspected this long ago. And now she received confirmations for her conjecture more often. Mr. Garibaldi drank in the sly, and drank hard. She was never mistaken in such questions. She wasn't a saint herself anyway…  
Lochley shook her head. Then tossed the papers away.  
She ran into him in a corridor not long ago. He reeked of whiskey. She could recognize this smell instantly. Lochley couldn't contain herself and tried to talk to him. But Garibaldi didn't keep up the conversation, he barked out something caustic and tried to escape pleading busy. And when she followed him trying to make him listen to what she wanted to say, he cursed and advised her to keep away from him.  
And she retreated. Because he had such a face... Lochley closed her eyes trying to get rid of the memories that swept over her.   
At that moment all her childish fears came back to her, the horror she always felt when her drunken father looked at her...and she just lost her gift of speech.   
Now, sitting in her quarters, Lochley reproached herself with this embarrassment. Good Lord! Her father was dead long ago! She'd tried to wipe off her memory everything that poisoned her life for so long. Was it possible that her father could still have such power over her?!  
Although almost a month had passed after the Day of the Dead, she was still disturbed by what happened then. As if Zoe's appearance opened a door to her past, sealed long ago, and memories swept over her, like an avalanche...  


* * *

  
...Lizzie is about six, she is painting a picture, concentrated. Today is Dad's birthday, and she wants to make him a present. She spent a whole day to paint his portrait. Mum is beside him, of course. She pondered for a while and painted in herself.   
It turned out rather nice.  
Today dad will celebrate his birthday with them, in the bosom of his family. And that's great, because her father is a military man, and he is constantly on the move. But this time he promised to come home. Mummy rejoiced at it.  
She was so carried away with her work, that she didn't hear the door creak. Only when the hall resounded with Father's bass, did she spring up and run to him with the picture still wet with the last strokes.   
What she saw made her stop.  
Father stood in the doorway visibly rocking. Mother supported him by the arm carefully; he tried to break loose every now and then, and snarled angrily.  
Lizzie didn't know what to do. She wanted to come up to her father and congratulate him, but his gloomy face and bloodshot eyes frightened her. So she just froze clutching the picture to her.   
"You do understand, don't you”,  Dad mumbled, trying to get to his room. “I had to celebrate this day with my friends..."  
Mum only sighed heavily and turned away from him.  
"I understand. It's just that… Lizzie and I hoped so much..."  here her voice quavered and she walked out.  
And then Father noticed Lizzie and smiled. The smile however turned out very unkind.  
"Well now... Lizzie, baby... You are not taking offence at your dad, are you?"   
She shook her head, and then made up her mind. She held out the picture to him.  
"What are you having here?” He tried to focus his eyes and stooped over her, reeking of alcohol . “Come on, Lizzie, explain this... I don't understand anything..."  
She explained that it was their family painted on the picture. That it's a present.  
Father laughed suddenly, and then returned the picture to her.  
"Ah, Lizzie... Well, thanks... Though, you shouldn't have wasted your time on this silly daub. Go busy yourself with something more important..."  
Lizzie froze not understanding what he was talking about. Then she grasped the meaning of it all: Father didn't like her picture.  
The whole world seemed to crush at that moment. And she howled aloud.  
Further events she remembered vaguely. She only remembered, that mummy rushed out and started shouting at Father. Of course he shouted in return. A new scandal broke out. And she was the reason, as usual.  
She's always been the guilty one...  


* * *

  
  
Lochley signed, trying to drive away these unpleasant childish memories. But it wasn't that simple...  
  
  
Her father filled some important post; most of the time he wasn't at home. And when he did come, their life turned into hell. He was mostly drunk, and terrorized the whole family. No, he never scuffled, but his endless cavils and complaints made them hopping mad.  
A lot of trouble fell to Lizzie's share too. She was good at painting; all her teachers at school noted this. For some reason Father was enraged by this fact.  
"Give up this nonsense, you hear me?!” He grumbled, pouring another glass of whiskey. “Forget your pictures. Our family has always been in the military service, and I don't intend to make exceptions from the rule. You'll graduate from the college and then enter Academy. They'll make a person of you there. And what are those pictures of yours? A whim!"  
Sometimes mother tried to interfere and make him change his mind.  
"Good heavens! What kind of soldier is she?! Why torment the girl? Let her better paint… who knows, may be something will come of it…"  
Father used to get angry with this.  
"No matter, they admit girls to Academy as well. Besides, there were many military women in our family. Take your grandmother for example..."  
Lizzie listened absently to just another morality mixed with family legends. She knew that father had always wanted to have a son. But it turned out to be her. There was nothing she could do to please him, as usual. Even her birth was a mistake...  


* * *

  
  
Lochley realized that she'd have to recall everything, because one cannot obliterate the past completely. The past always comes back...  


* * *

  
  
During her study in the college she understood that she couldn't endure her father's company any longer. To see his face, ugly because of hard drinking, to hear his infinite cavils and reprimands... no, that was too much for her to bear. That's why after the lessons she walked about the streets till late at night, pottering here and there just to avoid coming home.  
As her father was transferred from one duty station to another every now and then, their family constantly moved from place to place. Lizzie didn't remember how many schools she had to change in her life. First she missed her classmates, her friends... But then she gradually got used to keeping by herself. It was easier to part this way.  
She'd studied in this college for several weeks only. She had no friends, and she didn't attempt to make them. What for? Anyway, she wouldn't be here next year...  
Then it turned out there was another newcomer. A girl named Zoe. Oh, she attracted everybody's attention. The children in the class were mostly from happy and prosperous families. And Zoe was a white crow. She was dressed in some impossible ragged clothes; her hair was standing on end and dyed in all the colours of the rainbow. When she came to the college the first time, she drove the teachers mad.  
"Go change your clothes and brush your hair immediately!!!”Their most spiteful teacher screamed. “It's a decent institution; you can't attend it, looking like this! What are your parents thinking about?!"  
Zoe raised her heavily made-up eyes at the teacher, and then blew a large chewing gum bubble. The bubble burst, making a disgusting sound, which caused a new hysterical fit from the teacher.  
Everybody thought that Zoe would be expelled from the college immediately after that, but several days passed by, and she still attended classes.  
Zoe didn't try to connect with the class either. But to all appearances, her reasons were other than Lizzie's. She just had nothing to talk about with those replete and obedient kiddies.   
The class felt this contempt and combined against the newcomer. She was not one of them and they were not going to accept her. Nor Liz.  
One day Lochley came across Zoe during her usual roaming about the town. Zoe was not alone; she was in a company of children, dressed as oddly as herself.   
"Hey, Lochley! “ Zoe hailed her, waving her hand. “I see you wander about like a lost sole yet again. Come with us. Are you having troubles? Wanna have a drink?"  
First Liz wanted to refuse and leave. Zoe's company frightened her. However, she came up to them.  
Zoe smiled and held out a bottle of beer to her.  
"So, what's the problem?" She asked again.  
Lochley seized the bottle... and took a swig...

 

* * *

  
  
From that day on Zoe became her best friend. And her aimless roaming about the town turned into fascinating journeys. Zoe knew how to enjoy herself. Lochley automatically started imitating her.  
Of course, Liz's progress in studies at the college deteriorated notably. And to be frank, she showed up there very rarely, preferring to go looking for adventures with Zoe ever since the morning.   
When Father returned from just another departure, his daughter was unrecognizable. His rage had no limits. Having ascertained the reason of such an abrupt change in her behavior, he forbade her meeting with Zoe. He did it in such a tone, that disobedience was equal to a suicide. Liz obeyed, for she still could hardly think of objecting to her father.  
As for Zoe - she got no bans, and so she continued communicating with Liz. Even if she knew, hardly would she pay attention to such a trifle. Zoe was very reckless.  
  
...One day, after a party, organized by a classmate, Liz was in deep sorrow. She liked one boy, and she hoped the whole evening that he'd pay attention to her at last. It was because of him that she came to this silly party. But when he came up to her at last, one damsel from their class intercepted him halfway to Liz...  
For some reason this event became the last straw for Lochley. Nothing had been going right lately. Father threatened to transfer her to another college, and to take her away from this town entirely.  
"You should be preparing to enter Academy!” He yelled. “It's a serious test! And what are you doing? You are gadding about the streets like a damned ragamuffin! I will not tolerate a black sheep in my family!"  
And now this... Why is she such a muddler?  
In college, when Liz saw the boy walking with that girl arm-in-arm, she couldn't control herself and ran away, fighting back tears. She sat in the toilet unable to go to the lesson, though it had started long ago. She cried, angry with herself. Her eyes got red, her face swelled. How could she show up in the class, looking like this? Let everyone see, that she's an absolute idiot?  
She came to herself because Zoe was splashing cold water on her.  
"What’s up? Why the hysterics?” she asked, and then shoved Liz's head under the faucet. “Now, stop whimpering! What's the matter?"   
Still sobbing, Liz told her what happened.  
"Why, and that is the reason for this flood you've made here?!” Zoe exclaimed. “You are something! Now... Here's our plan: you wait for me here - I'll be back soon. And I'm gonna bring this scoundrel."   
Lochley wiped her face with a sleeve, and then looked up suddenly at Zoe, surprised.  
"Why?"  
Zoe jolted her once more, and then said harshly:  
"We'll talk to her.  _Heart-to-heart_."  
Liz tried to object, but Zoe stopped her abruptly:  
"Listen to me. You mustn't let such things run themselves. This time she played a trick on you; no one can guarantee that next time she won't make a worse baseness. Meanness should be punished at once. And I want you to do it. You do like this guy, don't you? You should fight for your love! Otherwise, you'll be missing one train after another. Now, wait for me here, I'll be back soon..."  
  
...The fight they kicked up in the toilet caused a grand scandal. The teachers squealed like piglets, the victim wailed, trying to wipe her bleeding nose. Zoe's and Liz's parents were sent for at once.  
Unwittingly, there happened a curious incident about it. Lochley's father came, vested in his uniform. But he was a bit tipsy. It didn't strike the eye, but still was noticeable. Zoe's mother came with a long delay. Absolutely drunk.   
The teachers forgot at once what they'd intended to discuss, for they had to witness a scandal that broke out between the infuriated parents.  
None of them agreed to confess, that their child in particular was guilty of what happened.   
Then the victim's parents came, and the debate flared up... 

 

* * *

  
  
After that, Father started shepherding her, as if she were a little girl. He met her near the college, and accompanied her to the college. He had quite a lot of spare time now: he'd resigned recently.  
Liz was driven mad by this shadowing.  
Once he went too far.   
Liz stayed too long at a birthday party of a classmate. The very boy, because of whom she and Zoe had to beat that girl.   
Father kept calling her up during the party demanding that she come home at nine sharp. This demand made her desperate: the most interesting things only started at that time. In the end she stayed there.  
At nine thirty Father's car stopped by the classmate's house. He burst into the merriment without ceremony, took Liz by the arm and dragged her away.  
"I'll show you a thing or two!” He growled. “I'll teach you obedience!"  
Liz burned with shame. From now on everybody will laugh at her... And then the shame got replaced with cold rage. How dares he treat her like this?!  
"Do as you please, but I'll do everything my way!" She shouted.  
"And you dare to object me?!” he roared, startled by her impertinence. ”I'll make you... That's enough! I’ve made up my mind! Tomorrow I'll call up a friend of mine; I'll probably manage to enlist you to Academy prematurely... There are certain ways..."   
"I don't want this damned Academy of yours!" Lochley flew into a rage, and then, seized occasion to leap out of the car.  
Father reacted instantaneously, he stopped the car and ran after her down the dark street.  
"Liz, come back  _now_!"  
She panted because of quick running; cold evening air cut her lungs, but she didn't stop.  
"Liz, if you are not returning to the car right now, do not return home at all!" Father yelled and stopped to take a breath.   
"I am not going to return anyway!" she shouted, and then realized that she really wouldn't come back home.   
  
  
  
Lochley passed her hand over her forehead, recalling those long passed days. How many years have passed since then?  _Twenty?_  Good Lord! Did all this really happen to her?  
  
  
Zoe decided to run away with her.  
"Anyway, I have no desire to hang about this miserable town”,  she said, taking out an old shabby rucksack. “Besides, I wanted to go hitchhiking somewhere in summer. It's not necessary to wait for the summer, you know. And now I have a good company..."  
Lochley hugged her.  
And they set off looking for adventures...

 

* * *

  
  
At first they had to hide, for Lochley's father realized that his daughter really left home, and rushed looking for her, using all his connections and channels.  
That time was a fun. They did everything they pleased and didn't care for those around them.   
When they managed to put Lochley's father off the scent, life became even more wonderful.  
They got rather far from their provincial town during their wandering. Hardly would Father recognize now his obedient and diligent daughter. Liz broke loose. She drank any stuff she could get, and then she and Zoe tried drugs... and couldn't give them up afterwards.  
  
The conclusion came in about half a year.   
Liz returned to the hotel room, where she and Zoe had lived for some time, and found Zoe dead on the bathroom floor. Cockroaches crept around.   
She was seized by such an unspeakable horror, that she rushed out from the room and fled.  
After roaming around the town the whole day, Liz was chilled to the bone and decided to return to the hotel. But there were police cars there already. She realized she wouldn't be able to walk in, and that they were most likely looking for her already...  
Desperate, she came up to a street Intercome and called up her mother...  


* * *

  
  
Father gained his ends. She enlisted to Academy. And became the person she was now: an EarthForce captain. Commanding officer of a space station.  
She got all this at the price of her friend's life. Zoe stopped her.  
From then on she tried not to look at drugs at all. It took longer to overcome alcoholism.  
Only later, after her father's death, mother showed her wonderful pictures, which had been hidden in the attic.  _Pictures, painted by her father_.  
She fulfilled his will; he also yielded to his parents in his own time. But only after that did she understand why she couldn't give up drinking.  
Lochley looked at a pile of forms, and made up her mind. She should talk to Mr. Garibaldi. She'd make him hear her out, even if he'd fire his PPG at her.  
Lochley tried to imagine, what Zoe would have done in such a case. Liz always consulted Zoe, though she had been dead for over twenty years.  
Yes, Zoe would have acted exactly this way.  
_She would have approved this_.


	5. The Gathering

**Approximately year 2269-70**  

  
  
  
"The shuttle from _Titan_ is ready for docking, Captain," said lieutenant Corwin, turning to Lochley.  
She nodded.  
Computer's dispassionate voice started dictating the course and dock coordinates to the coming ship.  
Lochley was looking at the starry sky, spinning behind the thick glass of the C&C, and musing on the forthcoming meeting.   
Corwin was excited, though he tried to hide it as best he could. She understood him. Whatever one may say, Ivanova had been his CO for many years. And the heck quite a good CO!   
This was not Lochley's first year on this station, and she could draw some conclusions. The crew got used to her gradually, as well as she got used to the crew. Got adjusted to each other, as they say. After the Interstellar Alliance headquarters was transferred to the city of Tuzanor, on Minbar, life on the station became more quiet and measured. Sheridan and Garibaldi, who'd been the main crushers, were now engaged in their destructive activity in other places.  
Some people still grieved at it. She never did. If they'd remained on the station a couple of months longer, she'd have committed suicide for sure.  
Though, evil tongues rumoured, that the station had lost its significance, and that B5 ceased to be "the centre of commerce and diplomacy".   
Lochley tried to ignore such attacks. Though a lot had changed since the opening of this station, one thing remained the same: its location. Babylon 5 was still situated at the intersection of rather important trade routes. So, there were as many people on the station as before.  
She realized  B5 was like a bur in the throat for some politicians who still couldn't forget, that it was because of this station's inhabitants that many of their guileful schemes became a failure. Though B5 was now under the jurisdiction of the Earth Alliance and everything was placid there, they still expected some dirty trick from it...  
Lochley sighed. When she was taking up this post, she couldn't even imagine, that her main task would be to defend the station from the Earth bureaucrats. But it was them who presented the main threat at present.  
"The docking was successful," Corwin reported, interrupting her ruminations.  
Lochley shook her head, and then opened the channel to the shuttle.  
"Welcome to Babylon 5, Captain Ivanova!"   


* * *

  
  
Captain Susan Ivanova was sitting in Lochley's office, scrutinizing the appointments.   
The office wasn't noted for rich decoration in the time of Sheridan; John believed, that excessive pomp only distracted from work. But Lochley surpassed him in asceticism. Everything was utterly official, nothing personal. Not a speck of dust on the table, all the documents were organized in separate folders.   
Lochley entered the office. She showed up exactly at the time, appointed for the meeting, neither a minute later, nor a minute earlier.   
"So, I'd like to learn about the reasons of your visit”.  Lochley said after they exchanged standard greetings. “You didn't go into particulars while talking through Stellarcom, however…"  
Ivanova smiled feebly.  
"This visit is unofficial, Captain. My ship was just passing by; we have spare time now... so I decided to pay a visit to the station. Such opportunities occur seldom, there is no sin in seizing them."   
"I see... “ Lochley drawled, nodding. “Well, in this case... feel yourself... at home."  
Ivanova made a wry smile.   
" I'll try”, she answered dryly. “Though, while I was walking here, I could hardly believe that this is the  _same_  Babylon 5. The station has changed  _considerably_ , Captain, and not to the best in some respects."  
Lochley kept silent for a while, she decided to pay no attention to this clear attack, then she recalled something.  
"I hope... your ship is all right?"  
"Oh, yes, it's quite all right”, Ivanova assured her. “This is really just a friendly visit, nothing more."  
Lochley relaxed a little. She still remembered the last  _friendly_  visit of Ivanova in every detail. That time the station was thoroughly shaken once more. Lochley realized that she involuntarily feared the appearance of any of the former B5's officers. They brought along nothing but troubles.  _How ever could the station sustain all of them at once?!_  Her inner voice refused to calm down. Even though Ivanova came here as just a guest, Lochley decided to be on the alert, just in case.   


* * *

  
A small reception was given in the evening to celebrate Captain Ivanova's arrival. Though Ivanova accepted this action coldly, still, she came to the reception. The senior officers from _Titan_ accompanied her.  
Although the composition of diplomats on the station had changed considerably, some of them still remembered Ivanova and hastened to pay their respects to her. The Drazi ambassador was especially zealous.   
At first Ivanova was struck dumb by such cock-a-hoop hilarity, but then recognized in the present ambassador a former attaché, whom she merrily talked to on some Drazi reception… the details of which she remembered quite vaguely.   
The Drazi ambassador helped her to overcome the awkwardness. Soon Susan was already laughing, recalling the old days…  
Lochley watched her and did her best to recall something very important, something connected to her. But she couldn't.   
Squeaking of the link interrupted her ruminations.  
"Lochley listening,"  she said, sighing.  
Here it is... somehow she immediately felt bad presentiments. Everybody knew, she was on the reception; they wouldn't disturb her over trifles.  
"Captain, Mr. Garibaldi wants to talk to you..." that was the voice of a technician.  
Lochley's heart froze for a moment, then sank down to her feet.  
_She knew it! What's up this time?! Not Mr. Garibaldi... Not this.._.  
"I'll talk to him from my office. I'll be there in a couple of minutes," she answered, trying to make her voice stop quavering too much.   
They had developed a rather contradictory relationship with mister Garibaldi. While he lived on the station, they squabbled almost every day, at every meeting. Later they seemed to improve their relationship somehow. One couldn't call it friendly... But at least they learned to talk to each other. Apparently, one couldn't expect more: they had too different.   
She drew a deep breath, and then switched the Stellarcom on. Mr. Garibaldi's face appeared on the screen. He squinted derisively.  
"Good day, Captain. I believe, you didn't expect my call? I'm sorry to disturb you, but I think I should notify you of my forthcoming appearance on the station."  
Lochley tried to hide her true feelings.  
" Well, may I enquire about the purpose of your visit, Mr. Garibaldi? I need to know, what to prepare for. I hope, it's not business negotiations with just another mad tomb plunderer?"  
Garibaldi laughed.  
"No, Captain, everything's much worse. I've simply decided to come to see my favorite station and to show it to my daughter at the same time."   
"Your daughter?” Lochley felt growing panic. “Is she coming with you?"  
"Yes, that is exactly what I wanted to say. We are on our way already; we'll be there in about 24 hours. You still have time to get ready..." Garibaldi grinned and broke the connection.   


* * *

  
  
Lochley paced back and forth in her office. Her nerves had been at the breaking point lately. Mostly because of Ivanova. After strolling about the station, the former First Officer couldn't keep from making caustic remarks directed to the new command. Oh, of course, she made those remarks veiledly, and casually. But by the end of the day Lochley was ready to kill her. What's her business in what is happening on the station now?!   
Lochley attempted to get away from those thoughts, but then Mr. Garibaldi's words came to the surface in her mind... Good gracious! Whatever does she deserve such punishment for?!   
The door chime made her startle.   
"Yes?" she said, quickly assuming an official air.   
She saw the incomers and smiled stiffly.  
"Here we are”, said Mr. Garibaldi. “We've come to pay our respects to the commander of the station... Captain, this is my daughter, Mary... Mary, this is Captain Lochley."  
Lochley stared at a slender girl of about six of seven, whose dark hair was done up in two funny pony-tails. The child looked up at her seriously; there was so much suspiciousness and distrust in this look, that it became clear at once,  _whose_  daughter she was.  
"Captain Lochley is the chief here, so behave politely,"  Garibaldi added, bending down to his daughter.  
The girl looked askance at him.  
"Is she your superior?"  She asked.  
Garibaldi looked at Lochley for some time.  
"She is”,  he said seriously. “Here, on the station, she is everybody's superior."  
Lochley came up closer to her and offered her hand.  
"Well, hello, Mary. Welcome to the station."  
The girl shook her hand cautiously.  
"Hello, Captain Lochley. I wonder, why..."  
Garibaldi laid his hands on his daughter's shoulders, pushing her gently to the exit.  
"Well, now you’ve got acquainted… I believe, you'll excuse us, Captain: we cannot stay any longer. Mary is tired after the journey; she needs to get some sleep... I think we'll have time for a heart-to-heart talk later..."  
Lochley nodded.  
Mary knitted her brows…   
"But dad, I don't want to sleep at all... I just wanted to ask, why..."  
"Mary!” Garibaldi said significantly, pressing on her shoulder slightly. “We discussed this question recently. Let's not start this all over again, OK?"  
But obviously, his daughter wasn’t listening to him. Her gaze rested on a model of the station, which had served as a decoration in the office for many years already.  
"Wow! How lovely!” the girl exclaimed and, slipping from her father's hands, ran up to the model. “I wonder, what..."  
Lochley opened her mouth to say something, but she was late. The model of the station flew off its stand, tumbled down to the floor and broke to pieces with a terrible crash.   
Lochley closed her eyes slightly.  
_Here it starts... this must be hereditary..._  
"MARY!!!” Garibaldi groaned, growing crimson. “What the Hell!!!"  
The girl was contemplating the remains of the model perplexedly, then she raised her eyes at her father.  
"Mummy has forbidden you to swear when I'm near, remember? This is the third time you've sworn..."  
Garibaldi threw his hands around her, and shot a suffering glance at Lochley.  
" I'll make up the loss, Captain. All the best to you."   
He headed to the door swiftly, squeezing his floundering daughter in his hands.   
"I only wanted to ask,  _why_... " Mary said, but Lochley didn't hear the rest of the phrase.  
"You have a  _charming_  daughter, Mr. Garibaldi”,  she said after them, and then started picking up the pieces from the floor.   


* * *

  
The station resembled a madhouse more and more with each new day. Mr. Garibaldi's daughter alone was something! During the three days of their stay on B5 the girl managed to run away from under her daddy’s surveillance three times, and that was not easy to do, taking into account his past. A couple of times Garibaldi coped with the problem himself, but the third time he gave up and turned to B5 Security.  
"She is a natural disaster, not a child!”he grieved, talking to Zack. “I have no idea, where she could get to this time... She is capable of anything!"  
"Come on, I think nothing bad will happen to her”, Zack noted genially, trying to reassure his former chief, who'd been running in circles about his office for an hour already. “God himself guards such children..."  
"She is able to get into the station's reactor, if it comes into her head...” Garibaldi muttered, waving his hands nervously. Then he stopped and looked at Zack: “By the way, you should consider the reactor in your search..."   
"Ah,  _come on_ , Michael!” Zack waved aside the idea and slapped him on the shoulder. “Take a seat and calm down. My boys are looking for her. You know them: they'll turn the station upside down just to find her."  
"I'm serious, Zack”, Garibaldi said, and snatched out a cigar. He looked at it, and then put it back into the pocket. He cast a sidelong look at Zack. “Do you know, that Mary was only four, when she contrived to take a walk outside the dome on Mars, all on her own initiative?! I got frightened to death that time… Oh, God! What if she gets to the docks?!"  
He resumed rushing about Zack’s office.  
"Why the hell did I take her to this dangerous place, full of bloodthirsty aliens and spiteful lurkers… if only anything happens to her…"   
At that moment Lochley entered the office, dressed in civilian clothes. It took Garibaldi some time to recognize her.   
"Mr. Garibaldi”, she said distinctly, “it looks like you’ve lost  _somebody_?"  
Garibaldi flared up immediately. He was not going to put up with her mockery at a time like that.   
"Captain, I’d tell you bluntly, but…"  
Here he broke off suddenly, seeing whom the Captain brought along.  
"Daddy!" Mary exclaimed and dashed to him.  
"Where have you been?! “ He growled, grabbing her in his arms. “When will you learn to listen to your father, eh?!"  
"I found her in Down Below; she was playing with the local waifs”. Lochley said. “A nimble girl she is… It looks like you’re having a hard time with her…"  
Mr. Garibaldi looked at Lochley confusedly.  
"Captain… thank you for finding my daughter…” he forced slowly. “I… owe one to you…"  
Zack looked at him, amazed, but didn’t say a word.  
"You are welcome”, Lochley answered and left.  


* * *

  
Lochley entered her quarters and threw off the tiresome uniform.  
Garibaldi got tired to watch his daughter and left to Mars by an evening flight. Lochley felt great relief after seeing him off.   
Susan Ivanova was leaving in the morning.  
The sooner the better. Lochley hang the tunic on a chair, and turned to the table.  
Ivanova was very glad when she found out, that Garibaldi was on the station. She walked about Babylon 5 with him and his daughter a whole day, recalling the past days.  
Lochley was only glad about it. Ivanova stopped bothering her, and switched her attention to the former Chief of Security.  
_“All right, I’ll stand it till morning”_ ", she told herself, and went to bed trying to fall asleep. At that moment she remembered… remembered  _this_ …  
"Hell! The letter from Marcus!" she exclaimed, jumping from the bed. She rushed to the table, rummaged in her papers. "I’ve nearly forgotten about it…"   
Having found the narrow envelope with a sprawling signature, she came up to the Babcom and got in touch with Ivanova.  
Captain Ivanova was on her ship already, preparing to depart.   
"I’m listening to you, Captain Lochley", she said, "Everything’s fine, I hope?"  
Lochley explained the situation as best she could.  
Ivanova’s countenance changed for a moment.  
"I’ll be there soon," she answered shortly and broke the connection.   


* * *

  
  
Lochley handed the envelope to her. Ivanova took it slowly, scrutinizing the signature.  
"How… did it happen?" she asked hoarsely.  
Lochley sighed. How could she tell her about it? She couldn’t tell all the truth, it was a too personal, too… painful recollection.  
"Believe me, it’s a very long story”, Lochley answered, “most of which I just can’t tell you. Not only you. Nobody at all. I think, you’ll understand me. I can only say, that Marcus was very glad to learn that… his action really saved your life. He was… soothed by it. That’s all I can tell you. Sorry."  
Ivanova squinted for a moment, but then nodded.  
"I understand… thank you, Captain."  
She turned to leave, but Lochley stopped her, as she decided to ask her one question, which had been worrying her for a long time:  
"Captain Ivanova… excuse me if I’m tactless, but… doctor Franklin got in touch with me recently, once again, asking about… the cryonic chamber with Marcus’s body…"  
Ivanova tensed, but said nothing.  
"He asks for permission to take it to Earth, to his laboratory. There is modern equipment there… and on the whole, it’s safer…"  
Ivanova shook her head.  
"No”, she said firmly. “Marcus loved Babylon 5. I think, he wouldn’t want to leave the station… Besides, he is a native of a colony; he never especially liked Earth… I doubt he would have desired his body to be… among the people he didn’t know, in the world he didn’t know."  
Lochley nodded.  
"I’ll… talk to Steven about it, on occasion", Susan said, and left her office, carefully clasping the envelope to her bosom.   


* * *

  
  
Lochley was sitting in her quarters, listening to the news. There was a cup of coffee before her. Real coffee, which grew on the station. Lochley had discovered a small plantation in the hydroponic garden, and asked the workers to look after it.  
Stellarcom came to life, Lochley saw, that several letters had come.  
"Look through the mail," she said, making herself comfortable with a cup of coffee.  
The first letter was from Mars, from Mr. Garibaldi and his wife. Its contents struck Lochley on the spot. Mr. Garibaldi must have gone mad. He thanked her hotly for his found daughter, and even apologized for all the foul things he’d said to her before. And his wife, Liz, invited her over to Mars.  
" _If you have a chance_ ,  she said, smiling,   _we are always glad to see you, Ms. Lochley_ ".  
Lochley pinched her hand several time, to make sure that was not a dream.  
When she came to her senses, she ordered to open the second letter.  
Ivanova’s face appeared on the screen. She was pale as death and choked with rage.  
"Well, Captain Lochley, that beats everything!” she yelled; and her eyes glared angrily. “I will never forgive you  _this_!"  
Lochley’s widened her eyes, puzzled.   
"I have always considered you a sensible person, not capable of such foolish tricks… “ Ivanova continued, trying to speak evenly and coldly, but her voice was cracking now and then. “And even less did I expect you to make such a… abominable meanness…"  
Lochley couldn’t understand anything.  _What is she talking about?!_    
"I could never imagine… “ Ivanova fell silent, unable to control herself anymore. She stood for some time, covering her face with her hands, then looked at Lochley resolutely. “Here, look at it!"  
She grasped the envelope and drew from it…  _a blank sheet of paper._  Turned it several times.  
"That was a very foolish trick, Captain, and I’ll never… you hear me? NEVER forgive you for it!"  
The message stopped suddenly at this point.  


***

  
Lochley put cold coffee on the table, shocked by what had just happened.  
She still couldn’t understand anything.  
How could this happen?! She saw with her own eyes how Marcus wrote this letter and sealed the envelope…  
Lochley passed her hand over her forehead.  
It’s useless to puzzle over inexplicable things.   
"Well… “ she said slowly, switching Stellarcom off, “you never know, where you’ll lose and where you’ll gain…"


End file.
